In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, David L. Kirp discusses New York City’s successful Pre-K for All program. The article focuses on the challenges that New York City overcame to establish a universal pre-kindergarten program that enrolls more children in full-day pre-K programs than any state except Georgia and continues to make quality a priority. Specifically, full-day programs are “staffed by well-trained teachers, supported by experienced coaches and social workers, who know how to talk with, not at, youngsters; a teacher for every 10 or fewer children; a challenging curriculum backed by evidence; and parental involvement.” Furthermore, Kirp argues for a birth through age eight approach to early childhood education and care, and presents New York City’s universal pre-K program as a model for other states.
The Institute supports the Pre-K for All program and is proud to be a partner in helping to develop and support the pre-K workforce needed to serve all of New York City’s four-year-olds and their families. We are helping early childhood leaders and educators learn how to incorporate the use of assessment data to improve child outcomes, as well as providing the coaching support that teachers need to best incorporate what they learn into their practice. Continued support for professional development and teacher coaching will help to ensure that the City’s investments in early childhood continue to pay off into the future.
To read the op-ed, please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/opinion/sunday/how-new-york-made-pre-k-a-success.html